Peterson Air and Space Museum facts for kids
Terminal building
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Established | 1982 |
|---|---|
| Location | Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado |
| Type | Military aerospace museum |
|
Colorado Springs Airport
|
|
| Area | 8.3 acres (3.4 ha) |
| Built | 1942 |
| Architectural style | Art Deco, Moderne |
| NRHP reference No. | 90001296 |
| Added to NRHP | November 15, 1996 |
The Peterson Air and Space Museum is an exciting place to explore the history of flight and space. It is located at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This museum teaches visitors about the history of air defense and space exploration in the United States.
Contents
History of the Museum
How the Museum Started
The museum began in 1975. It grew from a place called the North American Aerospace Defense Command Visitor Center. Colonel Donald Parson helped create this center.
Exploring the Exhibits
Main Museum Building
The main entrance to the museum is through an old airport building. This building was built in 1941 for the Colorado Springs Municipal Airport. Inside, you will find exhibits about World War II. They show how the base was used to train pilots for special photography missions. There is also a tribute to 1st Lieutenant Edward J. Peterson. The base was named after him after a plane crash. This building also has a small movie room and a museum shop.
Outdoor Air Park
When you leave the main building, you enter the Air Park. This is where most of the museum's airplanes are on display. You can even go inside one of them, the EC-121 Warning Star, for a tour! Nearby, there is a special memorial for soldiers who received the Medal of Honor.
Inside the Hangars
There are two hangars in the courtyard that are now part of the museum. One hangar used to store planes for a fancy hotel called the Broadmoor. It is now used for museum records and offices. The other hangar was used by the original airport for public transportation. This hangar now holds many of the museum's main exhibits.
Cool Things to See Inside
- Displays about how the Air Defense Command protected the skies during the Cold War.
- Old computer equipment from the Cheyenne Mountain Complex.
- A part of a Peacekeeper missile called a payload shroud. This part protects the missile's contents.
- A Mk. 21 re-entry vehicle from a powerful missile.
- A training simulator for a Peacekeeper missile launch control center. This is where people learned to control missiles.
- An exhibit about the 460th Space Wing. It includes a Vela satellite and a model of a Defense Support Program satellite.
- Interactive displays about how the Air Force watches space and warns about missiles.
- A special telephone from the Cold War. This phone started the NORAD Tracks Santa program!
Aircraft on Display
Planes You Can See
- Avro CF-100 Canuck 100779
- Convair F-102A Delta Dagger 56-1109
- Convair F-106A Delta Dart 59-0134
- Curtiss P-40E Warhawk – replica
- Lockheed EC-121T Warning Star 52-3425
- Lockheed F-94C Starfire 50-1006
- Lockheed F-104C Starfighter 56-0936
- Lockheed T-33A 57-0713
- Martin EB-57E Canberra 55-4279
- McDonnell CF-101B Voodoo 101044
- McDonnell F-101B Voodoo 58-0274
- McDonnell F-4C Phantom II 64-0799
- McDonnell Douglas CF-188 Hornet 188723
- McDonnell Douglas F-15A Eagle 76-0024
- North American F-86L Sabre 53-0782
- Northrop F-89J Scorpion 52-1941
- Republic P-47N Thunderbolt 44-89425
See also
- CAF Rocky Mountain Wing Museum, Grand Junction, CO
- Colorado Aviation Historical Society, Denver, CO
- Pueblo Historical Aircraft Society, Pueblo, CO
- Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum, Pueblo, CO
- Spirit of Flight Center, Lafayette, CO
- Vintage Aero Flying Museum, Platte Valley Airpark Hudson, CO
- Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum, Denver, CO
- Related lists
- National Register of Historic Places listings in El Paso County, Colorado
- List of aerospace museums
